Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
“Air Force Academy is closed to hikers because Osama Bin Laden was shot.” Wasn’t that two months ago? In Colorado, we just said alright and turned around and left. What are you going to do? Obey.
Up north to Monument, Colorado for a drive to Mt. Herman and a hike to the top and the big rocks. It is always fun to learn about someone while hiking with them. I met Nan two months ago at a conference. We just clicked and kept in touch with email. We arranged a hike as our first time to get to know each other but it took two weeks to arrange..
Mt. Herman is a fairly easy hike, well used and very eroded with side paths everywhere. The path at 7:30 am is shaded and cool even in July. Shots ring out when we park the car, but they stop soon after we start. What was that? No idea.
Getting to know someone while walking is the best way to flow the conversation with the flow of your body’s rhythm. Being interested in the other person’s hiking experiences is fun. You learn what they like. What they don’t. If they are scared. Brave. Adventurous. Cautious. All this by walking with someone on a trail in the woods.
At the end of the first hike, you can know if this is someone you can spend time with doing what you love. You can also help them if you are more advanced as a hiker. Whatever you decide, you may have started a new friendship for life, a hiking buddy, or a person that you will find some other way to get to know. All because you decided to walk with someone.
When did you last make a new friend? How do you advance a friendship? Who do you need to call and arrange to meet?